Perfect Nintendo Games – Investment Policy

Nintendo is known for creating some of the greatest games of all time. What makes their best games stand out is a focus on making gameplay feel intuitive, satisfying, and unforgettable. When a Nintendo game really works, it feels polished and complete – not too long or drawn out, but just right. While no game is flawless, several Nintendo titles come remarkably close to achieving perfection.

A truly great game doesn’t frustrate players with unfairness or confusion. Instead, it offers challenges that feel balanced and goals that are easy to understand. Players know how to get better and are motivated to keep playing. These games are well-designed because every element serves a purpose, making the experience engaging and never wasteful. They’re more than just visually appealing; they’re cleverly crafted to be genuinely fun. Each game highlighted here is a testament to what happens when technology and imagination combine to create something lasting and beloved.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Perfected the Two-World Puzzle Structure

Follows Link on a journey across Hyrule to stop Ganondorf.
Mixes puzzles, combat, and exploration in a clear, easy-to-follow world.

Often considered one of the greatest Nintendo games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time redefined action-adventure games when it was released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998. The game is nearly flawless, boasting incredible world design, intuitive controls, a compelling story, beautiful music, and impressive visuals. Players take on the role of Link, a young hero tasked with stopping the villain Ganondorf and protecting the kingdom of Hyrule.

As a huge Zelda fan, I’ll never forget when Ocarina of Time came out! It was the first real 3D Zelda game, and it totally changed everything. One of the coolest things was this new system called Z-targeting. Basically, it let you lock onto enemies while still moving around, which made fighting so much easier and more strategic. I remember thinking it was genius, and honestly, a lot of 3D action games since then have borrowed from that same idea!

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Nintendo Characters Battle in Fast Arcade Fights

Features fighters from many Nintendo series in one-on-one or group battles.
Emphasizes quick movement, combos, and knock-out mechanics.

Released in 2001 for the Nintendo GameCube, Super Smash Bros. Melee quickly became a popular fighting game. Unlike most fighting games that use health bars, Melee features characters from various Nintendo games battling on floating stages. Players aim to defeat opponents by launching them off the stage, and the more damage a character takes, the easier they are to knock away.

Melee built upon the foundation of the original Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 64, offering a significantly larger selection of characters, stages, items, and ways to play. The game features iconic Nintendo heroes like Mario, Link, Samus, and Pikachu. Players can enjoy solo battles, team up with others, or compete against friends locally.

Metroid Prime

Translated 2D Exploration Into a Dense First-Person World

Centers on Samus Aran investigating ruins and alien life.
Combines first-person combat with exploration and scanning.

When Metroid Prime came out for Nintendo GameCube, it reinvented the classic Metroid series by switching to a first-person viewpoint. Previous Metroid games were played from the side, but Prime used 3D graphics and a new camera to create a more immersive experience. Players take on the role of Samus Aran, a bounty hunter who explores alien planets, discovers hidden secrets, and earns new skills that allow her to return to previously visited areas with enhanced abilities.

One of the things people love most about this game is how immersive it feels. The developers paid attention to small details – like raindrops visibly hitting Samus’s visor and reflections appearing on her helmet – which really bring the world to life. A key feature is the Scan Visor, a tool that lets you scan computers and alien lifeforms, gradually revealing the planet’s history and story.

Super Mario Galaxy

Used Gravity and Spherical Planets to Reinvent the Platformer

Small planets with their own gravity fields let Mario run upside down and jump between stars in a fluid motion.
A full live orchestra provided a grand musical score.

In 2007, when Nintendo released the Mario series on the Wii, they broke with traditional gaming conventions by reimagining gravity. Super Mario Galaxy took gameplay off flat surfaces and into space, letting Mario jump between small, spherical planets. The game featured a new physics engine where ‘down’ always pointed towards the center of the planet Mario was on. This innovative system enabled level designs that were simply not possible in previous Mario games like Super Mario 64.

This game was a turning point for Nintendo in terms of storytelling and music. For the first time in a Mario game, it featured a complete orchestral soundtrack, making the adventure feel epic and like a movie. The game also introduced Rosalina, a character who brought a sense of mystery and feeling to the story. Beyond the impressive graphics and sound, the controls were incredibly precise. Using the Wii Remote to spin and collect Star Bits felt natural and added a new level of interaction. It’s considered a classic because it takes the basic idea of jumping and reimagines it in dozens of creative and gravity-bending levels.

Earthbound

Use Everyday Items to Stop an Alien Invasion

Features turn-based battles, humor, and modern settings.
Tells the story of a small-town boy and his friends.

Instead of the typical castles and forests found in many role-playing games, EarthBound is set in a modern world with things like cars and shopping malls. Its enemies aren’t dragons or monsters, but strange, everyday objects – think runaway taxis or piles of… well, you get the idea. The game is known for its mix of goofy humor and genuinely touching moments.

The game EarthBound starts when a meteorite lands near the peaceful town of Onett. A young boy named Ness investigates and discovers a dangerous alien force named Giygas threatens the world. To save everyone, Ness must find eight unique melodies hidden in special locations across the globe. Along the way, he’s joined by three friends – Paula, Jeff, and Poo – who each bring their own skills to help in battles and while exploring.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Classic Quest to Restore Light and Dark Worlds

Link travels between two versions of the same land.
Focuses on dungeons, item-based puzzles, and exploration.

Released in 1991 for the Super Nintendo, this game is widely considered one of the greatest 2D adventure games of all time. It really set the standard for how future Zelda games would be made. A key innovation was the introduction of two parallel worlds – the Light World and the Dark World. Players must switch between these two versions of the same map to overcome obstacles and discover hidden items. For instance, if something is blocking your way in the Light World, you might need to find a solution in the Dark World to remove it.

With A Link to the Past, players were first introduced to the Master Sword, which has become the most recognizable weapon in the entire Legend of Zelda series. The game is remarkably well-designed – everything, from the world itself to the items, puzzles, and battles, works seamlessly together, creating a truly rewarding experience.

Super Metroid

Defined its Genre Through Environmental Lessons and Precise Map Layouts

Used clever level design instead of written tutorials to let the player feel the joy of discovery.
Hidden techniques like wall jumping allow expert players to reach areas early in a process called sequence breaking.

Man, Super Metroid! This game dropped in ’94 and totally changed everything. It’s one of the originals that created the whole Metroidvania style, alongside Castlevania. What I love about it is that it doesn’t hold your hand. They don’t tell you what to do – they just put you in this world and let you figure it out. Like, you see a strange block, and eventually you realize, ‘Oh, a bomb can blow that up!’ It’s such a cool feeling when you solve something yourself, like you’re a super smart explorer.

In Super Metroid, players begin with limited abilities but quickly gain powerful upgrades like the Morph Ball, Speed Booster, and Grapple Beam. Even after more than 30 years, the game’s combat and movement feel remarkably smooth and responsive. Players can control Samus to fire in eight directions, squeeze through tight spaces, or quickly dash across large areas.

Super Mario World

Expanded 2D Platforming with Secrets and New Companions

The introduction of Yoshi gave players a partner who could eat enemies and fly through levels with special power-ups.
A massive world map with lots of hidden exits rewarded players for exploring every corner of Dinosaur Land.

Released with the Super Nintendo in 1990, Super Mario World needed to demonstrate the power of 16-bit gaming. A key addition was Yoshi, a dinosaur who joined Mario on his adventures. Yoshi wasn’t just a companion; he introduced new ways to play, letting Mario eat enemies to gain abilities like flight or fire-breathing. This made overcoming challenges more interesting and added a strategic element to the classic platforming gameplay.

What truly makes Super Mario World exceptional is how seamlessly everything fits together. It adds fresh abilities, like the cape feather which allows Mario to glide, turning each stage into a playground for trying new things. The game’s world map isn’t just a level selection screen; it’s a connected space with hidden paths and shortcuts, encouraging players to explore however they like.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Gave Players Creative Control as the Town Mayor

Allows the player to become the mayor of a small town.
Focuses on daily tasks, customization, and social interaction.

Man, I loved when Animal Crossing: New Leaf came out on the 3DS! It took the whole relaxing life sim thing and really let you shape your town. Before this, you were just another villager, but in New Leaf, you are the Mayor! It was such a smart move, because suddenly I could decide where everything went – bridges, fountains, even a coffee shop! It felt so good to actually build the town I wanted.

In New Leaf, the focus isn’t on reaching an ending, but on enjoying daily life and building a community. The game world changes with the time of day, seasons, and holidays, and you’ll see different villagers, shops, and events throughout the year. You can spend your time doing things like fishing, catching bugs, and finding fossils, or you can focus on building relationships with your neighbors and participating in town festivals. Many consider New Leaf to be one of the best games on the Nintendo 3DS because it perfectly blends the relaxing simplicity of village life with the freedom to create your own experience.

Donkey Kong Country 2

Two Kongs Battle Pirate Enemies

Stars Diddy and Dixie Kong on a rescue mission.
Features challenging platforming and themed levels.

In Donkey Kong Country 2, you play as Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong after Donkey Kong is kidnapped by the pirate K. Rool. The game takes place across eight creative worlds on Crocodile Isle, where you’ll explore diverse locations—from pirate ships to spooky forests and foggy caves—as you search for the missing ape.

What makes this game truly enjoyable is its precise platforming and diverse worlds. Each area presents unique challenges, whether it’s timing jumps over obstacles, using special abilities like Dixie’s hover to find secret areas, or cleverly dealing with enemy placements that make every section feel well-designed and meaningful.

2026-02-02 14:40